Detroit Public Schools Community District Facility Master Plan Initial Recommendations Frequently Asked Questions for School Transitions
District Questions
Q: What is the construction timeline for the Facility Master Plan recommendations?
A: As part of the initial $700M investment in our facilities, we expect renovations of existing buildings to begin in 2022, with new builds, reactivations and additions to follow in 2023, after a period of community-engaged design to inform the development of the new facilities. We expect renovations to be completed sometime during the 2024-2025 school year, and for new builds, reactivations and additions to be completed by the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.
There will be no renovations at schools under consideration for future, planned consolidation.
Q: What are you inviting feedback about?
A: As part of our initial $700M investment as part of DPSCD's Facility Master Plan, the District has identified specific areas where building consolidations may be necessary to ensure that students and families have access to the best facilities possible to support their learning, development and growth. Part of that analysis has meant that some buildings that are in poorer condition may need to be decommissioned, and students given the opportunity to transfer to a nearby school that is newly built or getting significant renovations. We invite community feedback on these initial recommendations, particularly on where, and when, investments are going.
Q: What is the timeline for transition?
A: At this point, students at most schools should plan to be able to complete their education at their current school, meaning elementary or middle school graduation. Should transitions need to occur, students will be able to choose a school to attend, including school options in their neighborhood that are receiving major renovations or new buildings as part of the Facility Master Plan.
For some schools, entire programs will be moving to another location. However, everything will remain intact for that program: the school name, staff and program elements will remain the same, but at another location.
Please see the Appendix for detailed information regarding the transition timeline for individual schools.
Q: What school/schools will the students transition to?
A: At this point, students should plan to be able to complete their studies at their current school, meaning elementary or middle school graduation. All students currently attending a school that is under consideration for consolidation can choose to attend a nearby school. Students that wish to attend a nearby school will be given an assignment based on their neighborhood
boundary. Please note that some DPSCD schools require an application to be submitted before a student can enroll.
Please see the Appendix for detailed information regarding the transition timeline for individual schools.
Q: What will happen to staff at schools that will be consolidating under the initial recommendations?
A: DPSCD will make every effort to maintain continuity at schools where programs are being phased out to keep student-staff relationships strong. All teachers and support staff who are affected by a building consolidation will continue to be employed by DPSCD, in accordance with their individual employment contracts, collective bargaining rules and District policies. We expect many staff members to move with students to new programs and/or buildings, however, some may be selected (or request) to fill other vacancies in the District. Human Resources will work directly with the staff members at programs being consolidated to identify a new
placement.
Q: If I choose to attend another school, what do I have to do to ensure my student is enrolled at a new school?
A: The DPSCD Office of Enrollment is committed to ensuring the transition for students and families is seamless and easy to navigate. For families at schools under consideration for consolidation and who opt to leave their current school to send their student to another school within DPSCD, members of the enrollment team will be available to support them throughout the enrollment process (or application process for application or examination schools). Families can choose a school that best fits the needs of their students and family. However, enrollment is capped based on building capacity, and the availability of programs and services. Email enrollment.growth@detroitk12.org to seek support.
Appendix
Please see below for detailed, school-specific information regarding transition timelines and enrollment considerations.
Thurgood Marshall
Middle school students as of the 2022-2023 school year at Thurgood Marshall will be able to complete their education at Thurgood Marshall and will not be required to transition until after their middle school graduation. Current elementary school students at Thurgood Marshall will be able to transition to a nearby renovated building within three years. Students that wish to
transition earlier may elect to do so.
Thurgood Marshall will stop enrolling new students and complete its transition at the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Students will be assigned nearby, renovated school based on their home address.
More information regarding transportation will be shared with Thurgood Marshall students and families during the transition period.
Students who have specialized transportation through their IEP will continue to receive those services within their newly assigned neighborhood school.
Sampson Webber
Students at Sampson Webber will be able to complete their education at Sampson Webber and will not be required to transition until after their middle school graduation. Students that wish to transition earlier may elect to do so.
Sampson Webber will stop enrolling new students in the following grades and years:
• Pre-K and Kindergarten starting the 2022-2023 school year.
• Pre-K through 1st Grade starting the 2023-2024 school year.
• Pre-K through 2nd Grade starting the 2024-2025 school year.
• Pre-K through 3rd Grade starting the 2025-2026 school year.
• Pre-K through 4th Grade starting the 2026-2027 school year.
• Pre-K through 5th Grade starting the 2027-2028 school year.
• Pre-K through 6th Grade starting the 2028-2029 school year.
• Pre-K through 7th Grade starting the 2020-2030 school year.
• Full transition of all grades after the 2030-2031 school year.
Ann Arbor Trail
Students at Ann Arbor Trail will be able to complete their education at Ann Arbor Trail and will not be required to transition until after their middle school graduation. Students that wish to transition earlier may elect to do so.
Ann Arbor Trail will stop enrolling new students in the following grades and years:
• Pre-K and Kindergarten starting the 2022-2023 school year.
• Pre-K through 1st Grade starting the 2023-2024 school year.
• Pre-K through 2nd Grade starting the 2024-2025 school year.
• Pre-K through 3rd Grade starting the 2025-2026 school year.
• Pre-K through 4th Grade starting the 2026-2027 school year.
• Pre-K through 5th Grade starting the 2027-2028 school year.
• Pre-K through 6th Grade starting the 2028-2029 school year.
• Pre-K through 7th Grade starting the 2020-2030 school year.
• Full transition of all grades after the 2030-2031 school year.
J.E. Clark
Students at J.E. Clark will be able to complete their education at J.E. Clark and will not be required to transition until after their middle school graduation. Students that wish to transition earlier may elect to do so.
J.E. Clark will stop enrolling new students in the following grades and years:
• Pre-K and Kindergarten starting the 2022-2023 school year.
• Pre-K through 1st Grade starting the 2023-2024 school year.
• Pre-K through 2nd Grade starting the 2024-2025 school year.
• Pre-K through 3rd Grade starting the 2025-2026 school year.
• Pre-K through 4th Grade starting the 2026-2027 school year.
• Pre-K through 5th Grade starting the 2027-2028 school year.
• Pre-K through 6th Grade starting the 2028-2029 school year.
• Pre-K through 7th Grade starting the 2020-2030 school year.
• Full transition of all grades after the 2030-2031 school year.
Catherine Blackwell Institute
Students at Catherine Blackwell will be able to complete their education at Catherine Blackwell and will not be required to transition until after their middle school graduation. Students that wish to transition earlier may Elect to do so.
Catherine Blackwell Institute will stop enrolling new students in the following grades and years:
• Pre-K and Kindergarten starting the 2022-2023 school year.
• Pre-K through 1st Grade starting the 2023-2024 school year.
• Pre-K through 2nd Grade starting the 2024-2025 school year.
• Pre-K through 3rd Grade starting the 2025-2026 school year.
• Pre-K through 4th Grade starting the 2026-2027 school year.
• Pre-K through 5th Grade starting the 2027-2028 school year.
• Pre-K through 6th Grade starting the 2028-2029 school year.
• Pre-K through 7th Grade starting the 2020-2030 school year.
• Full transition of all grades after the 2030-2031 school year.
Golightly CTC and Davis
Students at Golightly's CTC program will have the opportunity to transition to a brand new-built Advanced Manufacturing Wing at Southeastern High School. Students at Davis Aerospace High School will move to either the new CTC Wing at Southeastern or a new facility at Detroit City Airport, pending finalization of plans at the airport. These transitions will occur at the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
Detroit International Academy
The Detroit International Academy school will transition to the Davison campus by the start of the 2023-2024 school year. At this time, Davison Elementary-Middle school will move to the White Building where DIA is currently housed. This move will better align programming and space needs across the two schools. Students will maintain their enrollment at DIA and at Davison during the move. Detroit International Academy is proposed to become a high school, serving grades 9 through 12, which will be confirmed during the engagement process. Students currently in Kindergarten through 8th Grade will be able to complete their elementary grades and matriculate into high school at the new facility.
However, Detroit International Academy will only accept new students in Kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year. It will not accept any new students in Kindergarten through 8th Grade starting the 2023-2024 school year.
Davison
Davison students will transition to the nearby White building, which currently houses Detroit International Academy, by the start of the 2023-2024 school year. At this time, DIA will move to the building where Davison is currently housed. This move will better align programming and space needs across the two schools. Students will maintain their enrollment at DIA and at Davison during the move.
Turning Point
The Turning Point program will move to the site of the West Side Academy, by the start of the 2023-2024 school year.
Lions, Legacy, West Side
Students from Detroit Lions Academy, Legacy Academy and West Side Academy will transition to the site of the current Frederick Douglass Academy (former Murray Wright High School) by the start of the 2023-2024 school year.
Robeson/Malcolm X
The new-build Robeson/Malcolm X Academy will be completed by the beginning of the 2025- 2026 school year. During the construction period, the program (with all current teachers and staff) at Robeson/Malcolm X Academy will temporarily transition to the former CMA site for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years to facilitate construction of the new building at
Robeson/Malcolm X.
Cody, Pershing, Carstens
Current students will experience no change to their program experience. Students will continue in their current building until the new building is complete, likely at the beginning of the 2025- 2026 school year. At that point, the program will transition to the new building.